UniBond League Division One
The Moat Ground, Church Gresley
Friday, 6th April 2007, 3.00pm
Bad Friday for Rovers
There wasn't too much to gladden the heart on a beautiful sunny and warm Good Friday afternoon.
Both side resorted to kicking the ball into the air at almost every opportunity with hardly any football played on the deck.
The football had all the hallmarks of an end of season game as both Rovers and United had nothing to play for only pride and a slightly improved league position.
The first 15 minutes was a pretty dour affair with no chances on goal as passes went astray and moves falling apart in the last third of the pitch.
However, Chris Archer brightened up the game with a goal on 16 minutes. Shaun Ridgway put Archer through and with only Skelmersdale's keeper Terry McCormick to beat hammered a shot that crashed off the near post, flew across the goal and onto the far post but Archer was quick to react and put the ball in the net.
United hadn't troubled Rovers' teenage keeper Tom Allan but on 20 minutes he saw his first action having to hold a poor shot from Mark Byrne aimed straight at him.
The visitors levelled on 27 minutes with a somewhat fortunate goal. A pass across the pitch hit referee Sian Massey and fell for Byrne who hit a low shot from just outside the area that Allan really should have stopped but watched as the ball passed him and into the bottom corner.
On 39 minutes United should have made it two when Carl Osman ran into the box Allan hesitated as the striker went around him and Barry Woolley managed to get a foot to the ball at the last minute that enabled Allan to gather it up.
On 41 minutes Patrick Bannister did well down the left beating the attention of two defenders but his final shot was well blocked.
The second half hardly raised the pulse or indeed any chances of note as the ball hardly reached the final third of the pitch.
United trying their luck on 78 minutes with a long range effort from Mike Keegan that flew over the bar was probably the only piece of action anywhere near the goal mouth.
It looked as if each side had decided that a point was quite enough but United had a couple of stings left in their tails.
On 88 minutes the best save of the game was from Allan who superbly tipped Paul Nicholson's shot over the bar.
Deep into injury time United grabbed the winner when Osman hit a shot over Allan and into the net with the help of the underside of the bar.
Manager's View
"They had a bit of fortune with their first goal but I'm not going to make much of it. The referee's got in the way and not sure whether Tom (Allan) was unsighted but he was flatfooted and seemed a bit slow getting down to it as well but yes there was a bit of fortune.
"There was a bit of fortune for both goals to be honest there wasn't anywhere else in the goal he could have put that and it was a fantastic finish at the end by Carl Osman.
"Being honest we didn't do enough to win the game today. That's the story of our season, consistency. We had two good and encouraging performances and today we've fallen woefully short of the standards we've set ourselves in the previous two games. The new players that came in gave us such a lift. One or two have done okay today and I feel a little bit sorry for them but one or two of their colleagues didn't come up with the goods today on an arguably difficult pitch but it was the same for both sides.
"They wanted it more and picked up far too many second balls in the middle of the park. I felt that is where we lost the game today both from letting them get too much of the seconds and thirds and we did have the ball our quality was non-existent.
"It's disappointing but against a better side no disrespect to Skelmersdale, but Kidsgrove are a much better side and although we lost the game we made almost twenty chances. We played some good football and worked it well and created some good opportunities but we didn't do that today - we didn't get going and really didn't get out of second gear.
" Majority of these players give 110% every game and it is disappointing when we do get performances like we did against Colwyn and Kidsgrove which were very easy games to watch but today it was a long and painful ninety minutes and it is frustrating but you can't be too critical of the players because it is difficult to motivate the players with nothing to play for. We can't go down but we can't get anywhere near the playoffs.
"Today had that end-of-season feel both on and off the pitch. The supporters have been magnificent in the main this year both home and away. It was fantastic support at Kidsgrove the other day. Having said that once you step the line and you are playing in one of my teams I want people to play as though it was their last game because there is no better thing on a lovely day like today than playing football in my opinion. The players have got to count themselves lucky that they've got the talent and abilities to be able to play football at this level and you want to see that every game.
"I'm realistic enough to know you're not going to get that for nine months every single game but today our quality let us down. It wasn't the lack of effort from the guys but the quality.
"I'm pleased with the new guys we've brought in. There's a nice mix in there of inexperienced guys who are in for the experience and one or two with more experience who have come in and given us a little bit of a lift when needed.
"It's a fairly good dressing room considering we've introduced a few new players. The guys are disappointed and at best I thought we deserved a point I really think neither side did enough to win it and right at the end in injury time it was just our luck - I just hope we are using up all our bad luck this season ready for next season.
"We'd like to put on a performance for the last home game because the supporters have witnessed some torturous performances they deserve the best and if we can put a performance on against Bradford Park Avenue then I'll be delighted with that."
